1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-airconditioner for controlling a plurality of indoor units using only one outdoor unit, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for monitoring state information in a trial run mode, which connects a dedicated controller to the outdoor unit in a trial run mode, such that it controls the indoor units and monitors state information of the indoor units and the outdoor unit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, airconditioners are classified into a multi-airconditioner which includes a plurality of indoor units, each of which is installed in individual rooms, and a single outdoor unit connected to the indoor units; a separated-type airconditioner composed of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and an integrated-type airconditioner in which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are integrated in one body.
The multi-airconditioner has been designed to connect a plurality of indoor units to a single outdoor unit. Generally, a single outdoor unit is installed at the outside, and a plurality of indoor units are installed into individual rooms to be cooled, such that the above-mentioned multi-airconditioner provides individual rooms with cool air.
As described above, the above-mentioned multi-airconditioner connects a plurality of indoor units in parallel to only one outdoor unit, such that a central microprocessor (e.g., a CPU) of the multi-airconditioner cools individual rooms including the indoor units via a communication line according to a multi-airconditioning scheme. Since the multi-airconditioner has a complicated wiring structure due to unique operation characteristics thereof, a user or operator must pay great attention to a wiring connection and pipe arrangement between the outdoor unit and the indoor units when the multi-airconditioner is initially installed at a desired location.
FIG. 1 shows a structural diagram illustrating a conventional multi-airconditioning system.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional multi-airconditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units 14a, 14b, and 14c installed in individual rooms to cool multiple areas; a plurality of controllers 15a, 15b, and 15c for controlling individual operations of the indoor units 14a˜14c; a central controller 12 and a high-class central controller 13 for controlling operations of the multi-airconditioning system; and an outdoor unit 13 connected to the indoor units 14a˜14c via a communication line and a pipe line.
The above-mentioned multi-airconditioning system compresses a refrigerant using individual inner compressors of the indoor units 14a˜14c, liquefies the compressed refrigerant using a condenser, transmits the liquefied refrigerant to an inner evaporator of the outdoor unit 11 via an expansion valve, and controls the inner evaporator of the outdoor unit 11 to vaporize the refrigerant, and generates vaporization heat, such that it cools rooms using the vaporization heat.
The above-mentioned operations are controlled by control values of a variety of sensors contained in the indoor units 14a˜14c and the outdoor unit 11, or a variety of operation variable values.
If the multi-airconditioning system is installed as described above, a user or operator controls the multi-airconditioning system to enter a trial run mode to determine whether the multi-airconditioning system is normally installed.
During the trial run mode, the multi-airconditioning system operates the indoor units 14a˜14c connected to the outdoor unit 11, and determines whether cooling/heating airconditioning functions are normally operated.
Two methods have been widely used to operate the indoor units 14a˜14c. Firstly, the multi-airconditioning system operates individual controllers 15a˜15c connected to individual indoor units 14a˜14c to perform the trial run mode. Secondly, the multi-airconditioning system operates the central controller 12 and the high-class central controller 13 installed in a predetermined management room.
In the case of the above-mentioned trial run mode, a user or operator installs the outdoor unit at a specific place located at the outside of a predetermined building, enters the building to perform the trial run mode, operates the indoor units, recognizes operation state information of individual indoor units, goes to the specific place including the outdoor unit, and finally inspects operations of the outdoor unit.
Therefore, the above-mentioned conventional method for performing the trial run mode of the multi-airconditioning system allows the user or operator to suffer unexpected troubles and inconvenience in the trial run mode.
Also, the above-mentioned conventional method can recognize only operation state information of the multi-airconditioning system, such that it cannot correctly recognize not only a pipe arrangement state between the outdoor unit and the indoor units, but also cooling/heating control operations of the outdoor and indoor units.
If there arises variation in operation state information due to installation position information (e.g., high or low installation position) of the indoor and outdoor units and seasonal factors of installation time, the above-mentioned conventional method may cause the user or operator to suffer many problems in correctly recognizing the changed operation state information.